


Stop Two: Into The First Dimension

by smallchittaphon



Series: Honey, We're Dimension Skipping [2]
Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Magic, Alternate Universe - Science Fiction, Dimension Travel, Lee Donghyuck | Haechan-centric, M/M, Mentioned Minor Deaths, Multiple Dimensions Crossing Over
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-12
Updated: 2019-06-05
Packaged: 2019-06-09 02:33:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 16,530
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15257505
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/smallchittaphon/pseuds/smallchittaphon
Summary: Summer starts slow, dragging and so swallowing that it picks at Donghyuck’s brain till it’s mush and dilaudid.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> \--started: april 28th 2018 @ 9:12 P.M.  
> \--finished: june 5th 2019 @ 9:33 P.M.
> 
> \--thank you to milo, for reading and sitting through hours and tons and tons of dms and text about starting this series and ideas and also giving me feedback every time i added a new section to this fic,,,  
> \--still editing (even through i read through it multiple times)

Summer starts slow, dragging and so swallowing that it picks at Donghyuck’s brain till it’s mush and dilaudid.

School’s only let out days ago but it feels like years upon years that Donghyuck has spent at Jeno’s father vineyard, working while talking like gossiping mice with Jaemin and Renjun. They only work part of the morning before Jeno’s father’s _actual_ employees actually show up, including Mark who Jaemin is extremely _glitter glitter heart eyes_ at ( _mutually so_ ) and has been since they start their annual summer work in the vineyard the summer after 7th grade. It’s the season for thriving and the restaurant Jaemin’s mother owns feeds off the fine, fermented wine Jeno’s father provides. They spend their morning working, talking in the cold, humid dawn before the sun is barely hung high and then Jeno’s father is giving them the order for Jaemin’s mother before they make their way down to the intel.

The intel is right under the balcony of the restaurant that hangs over the cliff and Jaemin drops off the bottles of wine for his mother, running to join the others and his mom hands him off bottles of that zesty lime clubbed italian water they drink just to _feel_ fancy. The waves crash and barely lick at where their feet hang off the ledge. Droplets land on their toes and Jeno leans back to wiggle his toes in the sun. It feels mind numbing and easy for Donghyuck to do this. He engages but not really, these are people he would consider his best friends but this time it just feels weird.

Since the beginning of their senior year, coming to the intel and just doing everything he’s doing is just because it’s out of habit. He notices more things, things he wouldn’t have picked up on if he was still oblivious, still trying to retain his childhood--the _feeling_ of his youth. He notices the way Jeno looks at Renjun like he’s hung the stars, treats him like such and the way Renjun let’s him do so; He’s not far from that mindset either Donghyuck supposes. He sees it when they spend the last day of summer before senior year in the vineyard, the field right before you get into the rows of grapes. They have a blanket layed out, Donghyuck knocking knees with Jaemin, holding him off till Mark shows up and then Donghyuck’s alone again.

The lights in their seaside town are old and wonky, leaving the streets to be desired in lighting but it leaves it so the moonlight illuminates so it’s never _too_ dark but the stars are always out. He looks at Renjun, Jeno brushing his hair out of his eyes and his fingers hover so delicately on Renjun’s cheekbones and the corners of their lips tug, endearing and Donghyuck thinks ‘ _oh, when did that happen_?’

He looks at Jaemin and Mark, the beginning of something festering and then Donghyuck feels alone, not lonely but alone. It’s not a bad feeling, it’s okay and he accepts it. But maybe that’s why his senior year drags on afterwards like he’s on autopilot.

They make it, graduating, that little intel being a safe haven. They heal there and fight there and on graduation night, they end up there. Donghyuck’s got his cap on but his gown open, Renjun and Jeno had left their caps and gowns in the break room because they know they’d get an ear full if they ruined it. Jaemin doesn’t care, he steps down on the smaller ledge where the water catches on just enough to form a little puddle. Jaemin has his cap and gown on and he might be a little buzzed. Donghyuck chuckles when Jaemin’s valedictorian speech falls out of his pocket and into the water. Jaemin smiles up and laughs too, nothing but joy in his features and Mark shows up too.

Graduation seemed so long ago but when Donghyuck comes back to, graduation was just last week. They’ve only wrapped up their first week as adults, learning that Jeno and Renjun are both going to some college up in the town over, Jaemin is staying to start his gap year ( _‘years’_ _Jaemin corrects ‘give or take’_ ) and Donghyuck has no clue. His mom had offered him a starting job at her veterinary clinic. She’s really started a name for herself and Donghyuck supposes that would be okay for now. He just laughs, when Jaemin screeches as the tide get higher, his pants soaked and Mark hauls him up.

Donghyuck doesn’t know what’s going to happen but that’s okay.

 

-

 

The dreams start shortly after.

Donghyuck can’t remember exactly when but it’s always similar. He’s in a high place, a cityscape in front of him or bodys of water or nothing. He doesn’t know why he’s here, how he got here or how old he is but he’s here, it feels real. Donghyuck always treads slowly, further into where he is that night and doesn’t think much of it. There’s never signs of life and it reminds him of all those zombie movies he’s seen minus the zombies. There’s no fear in him, no true sense of danger not even when the ground starts to shake and he hears a hearty laugh coming from behind him. He never has time to turn around and see before someone is tugging him away. “Hyuck, We gotta go!” They call.

Donghyuck’s never seen this guy in his life but there’s familiarity and trust as he gets whisked away. The laugh comes again, booming and glass shatters. There’s a high pitched ring in Donghyuck’s ear as he turns— A tidal wave bigger than he can even comprehend looms over them and his feet pick up; That’s when the fear hits him.

He turns back to the guy, his knuckles turning white as he holds his hand harder and the guy tugs back. They’re running and Donghyuck’s lung burn. “Yukhei!” He calls, _Yukhei_ turns abruptly and Donghyuck knocks into him. His feet aren’t touching the ground as Yukhei hauls him up, further away from the tidal wave. It grows bigger than the skyline, decimating and crushing everything in its path. Donghyuck can see the smile in it, an evil laugh rolling out before it crashes down. The water is surging forward and Donghyuck pushes his nose into Yukhei’s hair, body tense before all he hears is rushing water in his ears and he can’t feel Yukhei anymore.

Donghyuck wakes up the same every time, sweat trickling down his neck and he wipes his eyes. There’s a weird emptiness in the pit of his stomach and he brushes it off. The clock always reads back 2:17 a.m. by the time Donghyuck is working his way down the tree in front of his window. He can hear to waves crashing on the beach to his left before he grabs his bike.

The travel to the intel is hell at night. The uphill before he gets to the main road kills his calves but the intel is the only place he can think of. The lights that hang over the balcony are the only light in the area as Donghyuck rolls up. He jumps off his bike, kicking it before it hits his ankles painfully but he stops when he sees someone else there. He’s too big to be Jaemin or Mark. He’s got the same sandy hair but he’s _not_ them. There’s something similar about him, similar to someone he’s seen and then he turns.

Donghyuck’s breath halts, his lungs feel like collapsing but he doesn’t dare move not when _Yukhei_ is sitting on _his_ intel. He thought maybe Yukhei was some weird morphic representation of his psych not an actual living person. He’s had these dreams for weeks maybe, there’s rarely a dreamless night nowadays and Donghyuck always finds himself at the intel in the middle of the night but tonight feels bigger—Tonight feels important.

Yukhei turns, looking further left, outwards towards where the gulf let’s out and Donghyuck drops. He huddled under some of the broken wood coming off the balcony and Yukhei doesn’t seem to notice. He closes his eyes and Donghyuck can’t bring himself to move. _For the love of god, just leave!_ He hid himself.

Yukhei turns straight on again, giving Donghyuck leaveway to grab his bike and bolt. He makes it to the main street again, the long way home that has a great view of the intel from the bridge and Donghyuck stops. He looks at Yukhei picking at the grass and he squints, trying to make him out more. It’s odd, a tugging festering feeling in Donghyuck toes and he grips the handlebars harder. Yukhei turns fast like he’s startled and their eyes meet. Something in Donghyuck keeps him still, eyes imploring and Yukhei _doesn’t_ look shocked. He looks relieved and that upsets Donghyuck. He’s jerks back, kicking off the cobblestone to get the bike moving and Yukhei doesn’t look away—Donghyuck knows because his gaze is burning into his back.

Donghyuck’s upset and he doesn’t know why and now, he doesn’t care why.

 

-

 

The dreams don’t let up.

They nudge him and hold him every time he closes his eyes. He brushes it off every morning like clockwork before he’s walking down in the morning sun, getting to the vineyard where Renjun is waiting. “Didn’t think you’d make it today.” Renjun squints, the wind picking up and it smells like sea salt and wet grass.

Donghyuck shrugs, “I really should’ve slept in, being in the sun all day really does a number on ya.” Renjun hums, tugging on his ear the way he does when he doesn’t know what to say next. Donghyuck’s been around him long enough to know what each little gesture means. They stay still, eyes imploring as the sounds of radio starts up—static and starts right in the middle of “Total Eclipse of The Heart”.

Donghyuck walks forward, pushing the wooden gate open and holds it open for Renjun. He’s got a boat look to him like those rich kids who come from inland and into the gulfs docks just to flaunt their money in a small town. Renjun walks slow, his fists in his pockets before he talks again, “You good?”

Donghyuck squares his shoulder, “When am I not good?” he retaliates. Renjun pushes his hair back, squinting up at Donghyuck and pins him with his gaze. He knows Renjun knows how he ticks and so there wouldn’t be a surprise if he did know that Donghyuck’s subconsciously walking on eggshells. Maybe Renjun can see the tension in Donghyuck’s stance when he parts ways with them every night but if he does notice, he doesn’t hover. Jeno comes rushing out of the back of his house, all smiles and Jaemin is lethargic, gunk still in the corner of his eye.

The sun is fully over the horizon, no more peeking out and Donghyuck hums, the warmth spreading across his skin as they walk towards the little fountain roundabout that decorates the main opening of the vineyard. Today is a wine festival that’s held annually here. In a few hours time, fairy lights will hang from the tip of the fountain outward into the trees like a makeshift canopy, illuminating beautifully and making it feel almost homey. People from the town over and on the other side of the gulf come to taste the wine and others come to see if they can string Jeno’s father into letting them marry here ( _he never agrees_ ). Donghyuck comes to help set up, Jeno doesn’t even try to convince his friends seeing as he knows they spend too much time here anyways. 

Some of the other neighborhood kids come to get chump change for helping the Lee’s set up the garden. Jaemin spends too much time directing the younger kids, some sort of powerful gratification he gets from that that Donghyuck can't understand but it’ll deflate when Mark shows up. They work in peace and by noon, everything is set.

There’s a modest tent set up to the east of the fountain, 5 long tables set parallel to each other with different colors that all complement the other under the tent. Jeno’s father wanted a theme this year, tables based off the seasonal tastes of wines. Jeno’s father had always liked explaining how different wines sent him into different corners of his mind. Donghyuck doesn’t get it until they all turn the legal drinking age and Jeno’s father has a hoot sitting them down and taste different flavors. It’s an experience. Those 5 tables make it easier for Jeno’s father to compartmentalize his wines, easier for them to show the guest around and make recommendations. The festival always brings in newer clients and Jaemin’s mom, being the big client she is, shuts down her restaurant to cater the event. It’s beneficial to this town. Not only for these two companies but to the bed and breakfasts in town that hosts the tourist.

Donghyuck thinks the wine brings them but they stay for the view, the taste of sea salt on their tongues and the wobbly cobblestone bridges and streets of the main town under their feet. He likes it, meets new faces he’ll never see again but it’s always fascinating. Jeno’s father looks like he’d cry if it weren’t for ego to uphold when he walks into the garden. Jeno looks just as satisfied with his reaction and Renjun looks at ease, the breath he was holding now released.

They get dismissed by high noon, making it down the bridge Donghyuck had seen Yukhei from a week back. He stops just before the intel comes out of view, warm sticky feelings in the pit of his stomach like he’s gotten caught doing something he shouldn’t and then he speeds up to catch up with his friends. They grabs bottles of cola before moving to the intel, the tide is high but they still kick off their shoes, tucking their phones in ‘em before climbing down to the lower rocks.

The water is warm and enveloping and they basking in the afternoon sun. Jeno talks about the new clients rumored to be dropping by, Jaemin talks about the new crew helping cater tonight and Renjun talks about finally getting to taste the wines this year. Donghyuck agreed, gives his two cents before he zoned out. He sees the boats coming in from the gulf, slowly treading on the water and he nudges Renjun. They quiet down, all watching the boats pull into the docks until their colas are empty. Renjun sighs, “I’m going to miss this if I can’t come next year.”

Jeno’s mouth quirks downward, patting Renjun’s thigh and Jaemin’s eyes meet Donghyuck’s. The weight of this comes into view, the meaning of it all toys with them, hanging right above their heads and Donghyuck refuses to entertain it. He knows Renjun and Jeno aren’t going away forever. They’ll be back for breaks and special holidays. The wind picks up, waves crash on their thighs, water pulling back and Donghyuck watches it. The tastes of sea salt on their tongues and an everlasting friendship.

And maybe something more.

 

-

 

Their town is small, very old and rundown but that’s what gives it an appeal.

Their groves are lined with cobblestone walkways, lamp posts that are usually simple and the paint peels year round framing it all but when holidays come, tinsel curls around it like the vines that snake up the sides of the houses closer to the shores. Donghyuck’s checked once but from the main intersection in the center of town to either side is 20 minutes and some change, depending on the traffic. For a town where you can only get in by one single 30 minute commute on a bridge, it’s really what you’d call a hidden gem. Their schools are tucked into the neighborhoods, the highschool being the furthest from the shopping centers and overlooking the ocean. Donghyuck has fond memories of being mesmerized by the waves when history class became a bore.

There’s really only four main hangouts for the ‘youth’. It so happens to be the main intersection of the town, a roundabout fountain in the center, the country’s flag whipping back and forth above it all, so patriotically so. Donghyuck sikes himself out when he looks up at it too long, his mind playing tricks as he thinks it’s swaying. There’s a locally owned tex-mex shop that is the first thing people usually see when they drive in, big bright letters lit up and eye catching. The closest thing Donghyuck can compare it too is Taco Bell from the mainland but it’s better. The moment you come from the beach on the east, the Rally’s is right there. Big checkered walls lining the outside, tables filled with high school students and adults alike.

Rally’s is _their_ go-to. An ‘ _all-american_ ’ burger for a buck fifty, just add small fires for a dollar more. They have chili cheese fries that “Feel _so_ good going down, but not that great coming out.” Jaemin advocates, pulling the fries closer to himself and Renjun scrunches his nose in disgust.

The thing you see when you coming from the south into the main road, you see a vacant lot. Jeno drags them there from Rally’s on occasion, the locals sitting atop the funky foundation of an chinese restaurant that only lasted three months and after that, stores never stuck so the locals have turned it into a makeshift skate lot. It’s big enough for it and Jeno likes to hangout with Mark there. If Mark’s there, then by extension, Jaemin is rather fond of that stupid lot. Donghyuck hangs back at the Rally’s with Renjun watching them whilst avoiding the afternoon sun. “One day, Jeno is gonna sprain his ankle trying to skate and I won’t do anything about it.” Renjun says, stuffing his fries into his burger and Donghyuck hums, chocolate milkshake dripping off his fry.

“Done kissing his boo-boo’s better?” Donghyuck jests and Renjun stops chewing, stoic expression before he threatens to kick Donghyuck’s milkshake over. Renjun chews faster, squinting at the guys across the road and he does that thing where he taps his finger on anything. A nervous tick Donghyuck use to bug him about until Renjun snapped one day, throwing romaine lettuce at his head ( _the whole thing_ ). Donghyuck can never really know what he’s thinking, we wishes he could, could know what Renjun thinks but he doesn’t. But Donghyuck knows he does it when he doesn’t want to talk so he drops the conversation, dunking more fries in his milkshake before asking Renjun for a bite.

Rally’s is _their_ place but most often than not, they find themselves walking down from the vineyard, too drained to interact with society properly. They opt for the last place on the intersection, the stop-n-go mart. They rush in, throwing casualties at whomever is working the register ( _usually Jaehyun_ ) before splitting up. Donghyuck isn’t particularly sure why this mart carries an overwhelming amount of ‘ _mexican delicacies_ ’, as told by Jaemin, but he’s come to find what he likes. His mom use to like coming here for her milk, _just_ milk, before the supersized CVS opened up just a brisk walk from their home. He’s had years of trial and error to know what hits the spot and what doesn’t.

Jeno and Renjun grab their drinks as easy as breathing by now and Jaemin always stands in front of the cheetos, always contemplating whether he wants the chili lime flavor or original flamin’ ( _he always get flamin’ before he also buys sliced lime wedges to squeeze on his chips_ ). Donghyuck grabs two rolls of sweet bread from the display and they all make it to the register in time. They got it down like clockwork, spending 15 minutes top in the mart before heading down a small bridge to the intel. Jaemin manages to pop the caps off their bottles of Jarritos, a toast to whatever they feel like and then they relax.

Donghyuck doesn’t think a small town would be appealing to those who have spent their whole lives in big clustered cities but to him, this is perfect. To him, their little town sure feels big.

 

-

 

May is starting to close. A month of being a high school graduate is making its way around the corner and Donghyuck is still coming out the intel every night.

Sometimes Donghyuck zones out, the ocean calming him and the cool breeze grounding him but there are nights where nothing helps. Nights where he knows Yukhei is lingering in the trees next to the intel or when he gets there and Yukhei occupies it. Donghyuck doesn’t like those nights, he feels like there’s not enough room here for both of them. This intel has been his and he intends to guard it ( _as childish as that may be_ ).

Everytime changes, the atmosphere around them. Nights where Yukhei will be on the bridge, or he’ll be an arms length away and Donghyuck could just reach over and push. Donghyuck hasn’t heard him talk aside from an exhausted ‘okay’ from that one time Donghyuck told him to give me more space. He’s not sure why but that leaves him more anxious and curious about it all. Yukhei feels like someone Donghyuck would’ve befriended. He lets himself think about what it’d be like for it to be 6 of them— already imagining what Jaemin would say to him and how he would fit in but then Donghyuck shakes off the thought, throwing glares at Yukhei’s general direction before he gets up and bikes back home.

In some ways, Yukhei eases Donghyuck regardless of what he wants. Yukhei seems to be the only one who gets it and maybe that’s the main reason Donghyuck wishes he’d just disappear. Yukhei being _real_ , being _here_ , means he’ll have to talk about it and he doesn’t do that. Donghyuck likes to be able to be in control of things, he likes the feeling of knowing his own secrets and no one else knowing. But this one thing, this one _really_ big thing, Yukhei knows and Donghyuck feels like his feet aren’t touching the ground when he’s here.

Donghyuck turns to Yukhei and see an issue, an never ending reminder of his biggest and most confusing problem. Yukhei looks back at him, eyes pinning him, looking into him like he’s trying to deliberately unreveal Donghyuck from within. His big eyes, glistening and the sound each soft exhale from his nose, Donghyuck remembers it. He carries it with him as he rides home, the waves seeming to get louder when he’s back in bed and when he shuts his eyes, he can see Yukhei, his big, broad shoulders and thick lips and his sandy blonde hair. He smells like wild honeysuckle and Donghyuck doesn’t like it.

Donghyuck wishes it would all stop.

 

-

 

When Mark comes into the stop-n-go mart, Jaemin hops off his stool and walks over.

Donghyuck rolls his eyes, stuffing more sweet bread into his mouth as he hears Jaemin talk about whatever it is Mark and Jaemin’s talk about. “Nice to meet you.” Jaemin says, drawing Donghyuck back. His brings his drink to his lips before, “I could say the same.” Yukhei says. _Yukhei_ , there in the stop-n-go mart, shaking Jaemin’s hand like they’re business partners before turning to greet Renjun and Jeno.

Things to note: Yukhei is taller than he expects, not that Donghyuck is significantly smaller but maybe Yukhei is too tall. Yukhei looks different in bright lights, in real life than he does when Donghyuck dreams of him. He looks different outside of the dark lights at the intel. His hair looks more brown now than it did this morning at the intel, less shady blonde and more bark of a tree. Yukhei smiles here, no blank expression or sign of fear. Yukhei sees him too, his mouth full of sweet bread and Donghyuck swallows fast. “Donghyuck.” Yukhei says and it sends chills down his spine. He’s heard Yukhei say his name a million times, a million times in his dream and when he says it aloud, he feels like he’s dreaming.

But he’s not, he knows when Renjun gives his shin a little kick and Donghyuck clears his throat, nodding. “Yukhei.” Yukhei’s chest falls and rises fast when he says it, Donghyuck thinks maybe he’s feeling weird about the whole thing too. Like they’ve come to a silent agreement of sharing the intel at 3 a.m. and then leave without talking, like they agreed to never talk in fear that the other would get to nosey and bring up the one thing Donghyuck doesn’t want to talk about.

Mark looks at them funny, “You know each other?”

Donghyuck grounds himself, shrugging before he drinks his soda. “Acquaintances passing.”

Yukehi squints, “First name bases and nothing more I suppose.” And it sounds casual, believable enough for Mark and then his friends to drop it. Jaemin meets Donghyuck’s eyes, reading him and he does the boldest thing Jaemin could only ever do. He reaches over, pushing Mark into the counter, knocking over a stool and Mark laughs nervously. “Jaemin.” He warns, eyes averting before Jaemin holds him still by the cheeks and kisses him. Donghyuck deflates, the tension dissipating as Renjun gapes at the scene before him.

Donghyuck’s know about the whole lowkey boyfriends thing between Jaemin and Mark for months, kept mum but just knows— just knows Jaemin saw through him. Jaemin saw the fear residening in him and he took that chance, that leap of faith to save Donghyuck from something he doesn’t want. Yet, Donghyuck knows now, he’ll have to talk about his dreams with Jaemin soon. In return for this. Donghyuck relaxes, glancing at Yukhei who’s staring at him before he looks back at Mark and Jaemin. Mark kisses back before subsequently pushing Jaemin away. Jaemin doesn’t look hurt, he kisses Mark’s cheek and Mark, try as he might, leans into it affectionately before he remembers again that they’re in a public space with their friends.

Renjun doesn’t say a thing, mouth still hung open but Donghyuck stuffs his mouth with bread again, “Finally, I’m tired of keeping this a secret.”

Renjun loses it then, “A what?!”

 

-

 

Something about this feels familiar to Donghyuck.

Having Yukhei around with his friends, sitting at their favorite table at Rally’s. Jeno’s father had taken a liking to Yukhei off the bat, showing him around, enthusiastically getting him to taste wine before Jeno tells reminds him it's 9 a.m. on a Wednesday and he doesn’t want Yukhei drunk before the sun sets. Donghyuck has the pleasure of sitting next to him, two bowls of chili cheese fries between all 6 of them and Yukhei groans in disgust when Jaemin coins him into grabbing the fries with his hands. Donghyuck can still see the melted cheese on his fingers even after he’s wiped them.

There’s a sense of contentment that makes for concern in Donghyuck. Seeing Yukhei be tangible and objectively loud really being Donghyuck, down from those weird floppy clouds his mind has been in since late April.

When the dreams started happening, Donghyuck pulled away and retracted himself only for the benefits of not having this be a bigger issue than it needs to be; But that’s the issue, the fact that in his mind, seclusion and dumbing down his attention, his _attitude_ was the resolution and it wasn’t. That wasn’t even the tip of the iceberg. Donghyuck has realized after a while that he was so far from himself, so lost in thought all the time that he forgot to put effort into his friendships so they’re not keyed off about his strange behaviors. He thinks now, his mind slightly eased, mind coming back from drifting along his stream of conscious, that he could mend this. In effort to fix it, he can only think of one big ticket in.

Yukhei.

 

-

 

Yukhei is this weird mix of city and “country”.

Although, Donghyuck and his friends are technically in the countryside too, there’s a difference between urban country and straight out country. Yukhei falls into an odd ball mix of everything. His dialect is that of the city, tongue curled ‘ _r_ ’s and his ‘ _t_ ’s coming from the roof of his mouth rather his throat. Donghyuck doesn’t think he speaks in dialect but when Yukhei gives him a wild eye at the almost basically phrase, he second guesses. Yukhei acts like city folk, loud and headstrong and more of that mumbo jumbo. The most country thing about Yukhei is his pickup truck.

Donghyuck meets ‘ _Bessy_ ’ ( _what an god awful name_ ) when Yukhei offers him a ride down to the beach for the ‘Welcoming Of Summer’ festival the graduating seniors hold every year at the beginning of June. Renjun brings it up one morning at the vineyard, catching Yukhei attention. “A festival run by teenagers?” Yukhei clarifies. He’s sitting on old paint tub from home depot, munching on an apple while the others sit along the shade of the vines. Yukhei squints, eyebrows tugging upwards humorously and Donghyuck almost smiles.

Jaemin shrugs, “Most of the high schoolers go. The junior class is expected to go. Kinda like a passing of the torch kinda shibang.” Mark nods, “It's kinda weird _not_ to go.”

Mark grabs the apple from Yukhei, biting into it only for his face to sour. Donghyuck rolls his eyes, Mark should’ve know it was a granny smith by now. Mark hates sour things. He wipes his mouth with the back of his hand and swallow rough. “Alumni from school are also required to go for two years after there’s to ensure the tradition goes. ‘s my 1st year as an alumnus. Kinda excited to see if they can out beat our fest.” Mark chirps, his cheeks doing that cute thing where the apples of his cheekbones round out. He reminds Donghyuck that obscure claymation show he was obsessed with when he was a kid. Wallace and Gromit?, he thinks.

Jeno kicks Mark’s shoe, “Every class has got an ego the size of Texas.” Renjun peers at him amused. Donghyuck thinks he’s excited, or nervous. He can’t tell. “I just hope no one catches on fire or no freak accidents happen.” Donghyuck shrugs, tapping his thigh and Yukhei watches him, takes a bite of his apple and Donghyuck holds his hand out for it. He, for one, loves granny smiths. Suck on that, Mark Lee.

So with a little more nudging and unnecessary information being exchanged, Yukhei comes to realize Donghyuck leaves 3 houses down from him. Mark and Jeno live closer to the beach, maybe a three minutes brisk walk but Donghyuck unfortunately lives on the farthest side. Jaemin calls dibs on sleeping over at Mark’s and Jeno assumes Renjun will stay at his, so Donghyuck left on his own. That is until, “Oh I can give you a ride if you’d like?” Yukhei suggest.

Donghyuck almost says no, but Renjun says, “We all know you’re too lazy to bike all the way to the beach.” _But I bike to the intel every night_. Yukhei smiles, “Okay so let’s just meet in my driveway at 11?”

Donghyuck pulls on his ear, “I guess.”

So this how it goes, 10:58 a.m. Donghyuck walks out his front door and down the sidewalk towards Yukhei’s. 11 a.m., He's Yukhei’s driveway, Yukhei walking out of his door and he smiles. He points to a car and when Donghyuck sees it, oh god when Donghyuck _sees_ it. “This is _the_ most american car I’ve ever seen in my life.” Donghyuck walks forward, touching the hatchet of the truck and Yukhei climbs in. “I haven’t lived that long, need I remind you.” Donghyuck adds when he opens the passenger side. The door creaks loudly and Donghyuck jumps, catching a glimpse of how you manually crank the windows. Oh god, it’s worst.

Yukhei pats the dashboard, “Bessy is my favorite. It’s just nice.”

Donghyuck buckled himself in, “Bessy?” Nope, it’s even worse. Yukhei, of course he drives a Ford F-100 pickup truck. This makes sense, in some weird way Donghyuck should’ve seen that coming. Yukhei starts the car and he smiles. “1996 model and she still sings like an angel.” 

Donghyuck curls his fingers, “I’ve suddenly decided I’m allergic to this car.” and Yukhei rolls his eyes, “I’ll stop with the car talk but we have to roll down the windows at the same time.”

“Can’t we have the aircon on?” Donghyuck’s says, already moving to crank his window down. Yukhei rushes to follow suit before he stops. “I have to fix it, it kinda just blast heat for an hour before it actually gets cold and I don’t have the battery life to run my car for that long.” Yukhei shrugs and Donghyuck huffs, accepting it that it’s something he can’t fix.

So they make way, the radio on and Donghyuck tries to change the station but it doesn’t budge. “What gives?” Donghyuck says after fiddling with the tuner for a solid minute. He pulls his legs up and over into the middle seat. Yukhei glances at him, “The truck came with the radio stuck on a station that doesn’t play anything after the 2000’s. I kinda got use to it so,” He turns right slowly and Donghyuck pushes against the door, his legs stretching forward enough to hit Yukhei’s thigh and Yukhei flicks his shoe. “I kinda just listen to it. American music peaked before the 2000s”

Donghyuck crosses his arms, “Arguably one of your worst opinions.” The truck ease into a soft stop at the last red light before the beach and Yukhei does this thing where he rests his hands in his lap when he’s stopped. He turns to Donghyuck, bemused and curious. “What’s my worst opinion then, Einstein?”

Donghyuck hums, the car going again at green. “Thinking that naming your truck ‘Bessy’ was a good idea.”

Yukhei, pulls into the parking lot, blindly smacking Donghyuck’s shoe when they park and Donghyuck digs it further into his thigh. It feels good, being this way. In Yukhei’s stupid, all-american pickup truck.

 

-

 

The festival ends early due to unexpected rain. Donghyuck calls it the moment he hops out the truck, the gray clouds forming and he squints. “I give it till 8 the latest before it rains.” He quirks his mouth and Yukhei shakes his head, “It’s not going to rain.” He rebuts, throwing his shoes in the bed of the truck before wiggling his toes in the sand. Donghyuck rolls his eyes and walks first.

The thunder has boomed and lightning striking at 7:55. “Uh.” Donghyuck hums, and then it rains. It’s _pours_ and Yukhei lets out an ungodly scream. Jaemin laughs, running towards the parking lot and everyone follows suit, the festival committee being the only ones scrambling to deflate the bouncy house and get everything they rented _less_ wet. Donghyuck takes his time walking, he’s always liked the way rain smelt, especially when you’re this close to the open ocean. He remembers when they went into the city to visit his dad once, it rained but it smelled like asphalt and musty trash when they passed the alleyways. This is organic and Yukhei screams more, running past Donghyuck and to his truck.

Donghyuck jogs a little to catch up and Jaemin calls for him, “Can I get a ride to yours?” Donghyuck shrugs, he’s sure Yukhei wouldn’t mind and he’s sure his mom wouldn’t mind either. The door creaks louder than it did early and he climbs into the middle seat, soaking but Yukhei throws a towel at him that he’s used to get mildly dry. He quirks his eyebrow when Jaemin climbs in, “He’s staying at mine. You don’t mind?” Donghyuck whispers, Jaemin tugging the towel out his hand and Yukhei reaches over to dab the water dripping down Donghyuck forehead. His eyes flutter and Yukhei shrugs, “‘s okay.”

The roads are almost empty save for the kids leaving the beach. Yukhei turns the radio on and Jaemin snorts when he starts tapping the wheel along to the song. Yukhei glances at him, using one hand to turn the wheel and the other to hold Donghyuck back from hitting the dash. “Really? Fleetwood Mac?”

Yukhei drops his hand on Donghyuck’s thigh and glances at Jaemin again. Shrugging, he answers. “It’s a good song.” Donghyuck sighs, leaning more into Yukhei’s side. He’s warm against their soaked clothes and he hold Yukhei’s hand over his thigh. It’s comfortable. Jaemin looks at them then, mouth quirking and he tugs on Donghyuck’s free hand till they’re holding hands. Jaemin’s always been territorial. “Yeah, The Chain is a good song. Maybe in the context of the guardians of the galaxy soundtrack but as a stand-alone song? It’s off an album all about cheating.” Jaemin snorts.

Donghyuck perks up, “Oh, that’s why it sounded familiar earlier.”

Yukhei stops at a red light, “I’ve never watched the movie.” Donghyuck jerks, leg pulling away but Yukhei’s hand keeps it still. “Oh god, stop being such a drama queen.” Yukhei mumbles before pulling Donghyuck’s thigh close again. Jaemin crackles, “It’s not dramatic to be disappointed in someone.”

Donghyuck whispers in agreement but Jaemin continues, “You should stay at Donghyuck’s today. We’ll watch the movie.”

Yukhei looks at Donghyuck, “Is that okay?”

Honestly, the idea of Yukhei sleeping over is kinda mind boggling. Donghyuck remembers when he thought Yukhei was just a fragment of his imagination, a face for his subconscious but it’s been a little shy of a month and here he is, a friend no less. “I’m sure my mom wouldn’t mind.” He says, mind racing but then he looks out the window, the rain soothing.

 

-

 

Yukhei snores. Yukhei snores so loud and Jaemin shoves Donghyuck’s shoulder. “This was a bad idea.” He whispers and Donghyuck groans, kicking Jaemin’s shin before reminding him that it was _his_ idea. Yukhei has been so happy to see Donghyuck’s house, running around to see all the baby photos and then spending a good amount of time playing with his dog before Donghyuck’s mom got home.

“Mrs. Lee?” Yukhei’s voice cracks and Donghyuck’s mom smiles. “Oh Yukhei!” she chirps, patting his shoulder and Donghyuck frowns. She turns to Donghyuck, “He’s the new hire at the clinic I told you about. I didn’t know you were friends.”

Jaemin beams, “Interesting development.” He whispers. “I hope you don’t mind us sleeping over, Ms.Lee.” Jaemin says and Donghyuck’s mom rolls her eyes. “I’ve told you boys a million times, our home is also yours.”

“Your mom’s so nice.” Yukhei says when they settle into Donghyuck’s bed to start the movie. Donghyuck hums, chewing on the strawberries he managed to convince Jaemin to go get for him. The rest of the night plays out fairly well, Yukhei jumps when the Fleetwood Mac song plays during one of the scenes and then gets excited when he can sing along to a majority of the soundtrack. Jaemin looks thoroughly amused and Donghyuck tries not to focus on how Yukhei gets clingier the sleepier he gets. By the time the credits roll, Yukhei has his cheek squished into Donghyuck’s shoulder and his eyes fighting to stay open. “There’s 3 end credit scene, newbie.” Jaemin teases and Yukhei grumbles.

Yukhei is asleep by the second end credit scene and Jaemin chuckles. “He’s kinda cute when he’s not talking.” And Donghyuck tilts his head, “I guess.” But he doesn’t, not really. Yukhei clinging to his arm, mouth parted as he gently snores is kinda funny because he’s so large but endearing because he’s large. 

Yukhei groans when Donghyuck moves but hums, dopey smile on his face when they finally adjust to him. Donghyuck falls asleep like that, Yukhei holding his arm to his chest and Jaemin’s leg over his thigh. It’s oddly comfortable and he thinks, whatta trio they are.

 

-

 

Donghyuck spends too much time in ‘Bessy’ than on his bike.

It’s always something like, “We can just carpool there.” or Yukhei so happens to see Donghyuck biking home and he’ll honk, leaning over to push the door open and Donghyuck hauls his bike into the truck bed and settles into Yukhei’s, now fixed, aircon. Donghyuck thinks he knows all the lyrics to that Fleetwood Mac song now, given there isn’t many. Yukhei gave him hell about it before but now he’ll try to sing over Donghyuck, leaving Donghyuck in a fit of giggles and his heart soaring. Donghyuck is so happy now.

 

-

[✿](https://open.spotify.com/user/smallchittaphon/playlist/4LeeW5QtzBZYC5kZI8BFox)

 

 

 

 

hey hey hei  
  
[link]  
  
Listen to this when you aren’t with me and Bessy  
  
You’re a spotify user? Lose my number  
  
(also thanks)

 

 

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this fic connects to the [fic](https://archiveofourown.org/works/13811802) in the series before this and [this](https://archiveofourown.org/series/727797) series with the jaemin installment still unfinished and the backstory behind dongyoung [here](https://archiveofourown.org/works/13727388).

Things get worse when the dreams get worse.

They’re more violent, malevolent and Donghyuck doesn’t like it. Yukhei doesn’t either, seeing as he’s always out of breath when he rushes to the intel. Donghyuck frowns, tugging at his shirt and Yukhei sits with him on the edge. He lets Yukhei hold his hand, both their breaths harsh and heavy and they go home, Yukhei takes him home, his bike rattling in the truck bed, the radio off.

Donghyuck starts to close himself off again, not purposefully but almost subconsciously like he’s just use to defending him. Jeno doesn’t pressed or hover for answers when they work mornings in the vineyard. Renjun gives him a sympathetic look but Yukhei doesn’t change how he treats Donghyuck. He doesn’t walk on eggshells like the others and that reminds Donghyuck of what he’s doing. He realizes he’s shutting down and then he apologizes for it.

Donghyuck sits in the middle seat today, pressed against Yukhei and he’s on the verge of tears. Self pity tears and Yukhei lets Donghyuck cling to his arm. July has started, the air crisp in the mornings meaning that fall is around the corner and Donghyuck welcomes it. It also tells him just how long this has been going on and he doesn’t want this anymore. Yukhei pulls into the parking lot of the Kmart, furthest from the entrance and Donghyuck cries. Nose buried in Yukhei’s shoulder and Yukhei soothing him with his embrace, his words and soft kisses to his hair. “Sorry.” Donghyuck huffs.

He digs his knuckles into his eyes and Yukhei smiles softly, holding Donghyuck’s face in between his hands and Donghyuck feels safe. His thumbs wiped the tears of Donghyuck’s cheeks and he leans in to kiss his forehead. Donghyuck shuts his eyes, leans into him. His heart is steady and content and Yukhei plants a kiss on the corner of his lip too. It doesn’t feel forced, it doesn’t feel misplaced. It feels good, feels real. “Better?” he asks.

Donghyuck nods, “Much better.”

-

“You spend an awfully long time with Yukhei these days.” Jaemin notes. He’s deboning a chicken, per his mother’s request, and Donghyuck is sat on the steal isel. He swings his legs, munching off the leftovers from the breakfast they had. Donghyuck shrugs when Jaemin says it. He knows he’s spent a lot of time with Yukhei and he doesn’t see why that’s an issue. It’s not like it’s just him and Yukhei. Sure Yukhei drives him home more than not but they go home from being out with their friends. They still meet outside the vineyard gates every morning, they still hang out at the intel after; They difference from May to now is Yukhei’s presence.

“You don’t find that weird?” Jaemin probs, looking up and holding Donghyuck gaze. Donghyuck seen enough tv to know this is where his heart would picked up, where he would essential felt trapped under Jaemin’s eyes but he doesn’t. Donghyuck feels like he’s walking amongst the clouds, he’s taking a leisurely, lackadaisical stroll through it all because he can—because he wants to. He shrugs again, “Don’t see the problem, _bro._ Before he showed up, we we’re basically everywhere together for hours.”

Jaemin hums, “But it’s different, isn’t it, with Yukhei I mean?” 

“No.” Because it’s not.

“If you say so.” Jaemin dismisses. “I do say so.” Donghyuck says.

-

There’s something odd about this rainstorm; Donghyuck can feel it in his core.

He rolls over, palm on the window of Yukhei’s truck and Yukhei looks up from his phone. “Something doesn’t feel right.” Donghyuck says and Yukhei tenses. Thunder booms and lightning strikes and then every rings in his ears. His chest tightens and then he hears rushing water, Yukhei saying his name and he shuts his eyes. His head throbs, that weird throbbing that starts in between your eyes and then your ears hurt. He can hear his shallow breath in his ear but nothing else and then his skin hits something cool.

He whimpers, spit gurgling as he sits back up. There’s whisper when opens his eyes, knees cracking under his weight as he flings himself towards a passed out Yukhei in front of him. There's a unexplainable glow around Yukhei, Donghyuck presses on the glass they’re on and it’s warm to touch, bluish hue to it when he taps it. “You’re up! Sorry about that rough trip, I haven’t done that in a couple centuries.” Someone apologizes.

Donghyuck squints at him-- _Taeil_ , as his name tag says. Donghyuck doesn’t trust that, “I’m Taeil. ‘ _God’_ of Death.” Donghyuck still doesn’t trust that. A man he’s never seen in his entire life is sat in front of him in a place he doesn’t know claiming to be the god of death, not with that dumb nametag, not with those dumb looking overalls on. Taeil presses his lips into a thin line, his shoe squeaking and Donghyuck sighs, his palm flat on Yukhei’s arm before he talks. “Where are we?”

A careful question, his mouth drying after and Taeil shoves his hands into the pockets of his overalls. He shoulder hunch forwards and his mouth quirks. Deceptive, Donghyuck thinks. “In between dimension. Technically Dongyoung’s honing station. It gives up amnesty from anything. We’re safe here.”

“Who’s Dongyoung?” Donghyuck follows up. Taeil smiles, “The most beautiful man in the universe.” His eyes shift behind Donghyuck and he turns to follow. Someone, he presumes Dongyoung, walks in. Dongyoung has a button up on, a cape that’s loose on his shoulders and Donghyuck would've given him an A+ for this weird off rendition of Dr.Strange cosplay if he wasn’t too sure that it wasn’t. Dongyoung squints at Taeil before relaxing his face when he meets eyes with Donghyuck. “I see you're awake now. Yukhei seems to also be holding up, but he’s always been weaker when it comes to these things.”

His voice is cutting, Donghyuck feels the authority in his voice, in his stance and clothing. Whereas Taeil has an almost childlike aurora to him, Dongyoung has that of someone who knows they have a lot of power and is willing to step up and accept that responsibility. Taeil does this weird cross between a waltz and skip to get to Dongyoung’s side. Dongyoung looks at Taeil as he smiles up at him, teeth and all and then Donghyuck sees that fainest rise of Dongyoung’s lip and Taeil’s smile widens. “I tried my best to not knock them about but obviously that failed.” Taeil says, sticking his tongue out and frowns. He scratches behind his ear, fingers on his right hand wiggling and a staff conjures out it, Taeil leans against it when he looks back Yukhei. Donghyuck feels like he isn’t even in the room with them, like he’s finally having a dream that doesn’t involve water or running away but just as much discomfort in his chest. Yukhei suddenly coughs, sitting up fast and he slams his forehead into Donghyuck’s.

Dongyoung steps forward while Taeil’s laugh seemingly echoes throughout the room. Donghyuck pushes Yukhei back, his hand staying on his shoulder as he rubs his forehead. Yukhei winces, peeking at Donghyuck and frowns. “Sorry.” His voice comes out rough and Donghyuck shakes his head. Yukhei smacks his lips, “Where are we?”

Donghyuck glances at Dongyoung, “Apparently in the presence of the god of death and Dongyoung.”

“And _Dongyoung_ ”, Taeil says, “God of Time.” He corrects and Donghyuck squints at him the exact same time Dongyoung hits him on the chest. Yukhei frowns, leaning forward to whisper into Donghyuck’s ear. “We didn’t get high at your house did we?”

Dongyoung walks past them, door’s appearing and opening up to reveal more of the room. Taeil skips behind him, twirling his staff and Donghyuck huffs, breath gliding across Yukehi’s cheek and he steadies himself by holding his shoulder. Yukhei looks up at him, palm soothing his side and Donghyuck likes that, that feeling of being tethered just by having Yukhei around. His mind tells him that it’s too much confinement and trust he’s putting into just a single person but his illogical brain tells him that he’s doing just fine and should keep doing it.

Donghyuck stands up, knees protesting against it but he pushes down any kind of complaint to help Yukhei up too. He raps his finger’s against Yukhei forearm, comforting for both of them before they walk through the massive double doors and into a bigger room. The ceiling is high rises, no lights like how Donghyuck has at home but somehow the room is seemingly brighter than the last. There’s a glass wall in front, nothing but a colorful spectrum of light buzzing by and Taeil takes a seat on the ledge next to panel of buttons so big Donghyuck can’t even begin fathom its power. Dongyoung drops down into the only chair located in the front of the panell, his cape sliding down his shoulders and now, he just looks like a man. A regular guy and Donghyuck can’t see why or how these two are gods of anything.

“Why are we here?” Yukhei says, pulling away from Donghyuck to walk further into the room but Donghyuck himself can’t. His legs feel like lead, like he’s glued to the entrance and won’t-- _refuses_ to move. Taeil throws his staff up, light cascades down off it and then a projection appears. It’s of _them, Yukhei and Donghyuck_ , but not just them. Donghyuck takes a step forward, the projection coming into full view and then it’s all around him, different iterations, versions of Yukhei and Donghyuck. His eyes follow it all, seeing them younger and older and then seeing them now. Yukhei looks at Donghyuck, eyebrows furrowed and he’s visibly upset.

Yukhei, from the time they’ve met, has made it his goal to always make everyone feel comfortable. He’s got a knack for it, for knowing when Donghyuck is close or already there, but now, it’s like Yukhei can’t tell—like he’s upset because he can’t shield Donghyuck from this. Whatever this is. But Donghyuck’s at ease with that. Yukhei always knowing his intentions or how he’s feeling makes him feel like maybe he’s too much of an open book and now that doesn’t seem to be the case. Now, Donghyuck is the one reaching over, hand over Yukhei’s wrist to calm him down. The same way Yukhei always does for him.

Dongyoung’s eyes twinkle in the light of the projection. “This is the many versions of you.” His hand reaches up and grazes the lights, the projection glitching before Taeil’s staff drops back down into his lap and it’s gone. Yukhei and Donghyuck focus on him then, wait for his next move, what he’ll tell them next. “The universe is interesting that way. Always giving you the same face but in different dimensions doing different things. Maybe some things are similar to others but not always quiet the same. Taeil and I have many different incarnations, many different dimensions where we do and do not exist.”

Taeil smiles at this, “There’s a dimension I like the most.” He starts, hopping of the ledge he was sat on before moving to squish his cheek against Dongyoung’s shoulder. “I’m the ruler of hell and Dongyoung helps me maintain like the best boy he is.” Taeil closes his eyes, basking in it and Dongyoung pushes him lightly.

“As I was saying, The universe does this to maintain balances and keep everything working like a well oiled machine. When little slip up and everything falls apart, there’s always something there to maintain it.” Dongyoung says and Taeil leans against his staff again. Donghyuck shakes his head, “What does that have to do with me and Yukhei?”

Dongyoung nods, quirking his lip up as he stares at Donghyuck. Maybe he’s just trying get a feel for how he should answer that, but Donghyuck feels like Dongyoung is looking through him. “For some obscure reason,” Taeil butts in, pulling one the straps of his overalls up and walks forward. “The universe has decided to pick you two to balance it out. Every couple hundred of years, the universe picks an entity or something of that nature that is set to hold the universe together. Things like a specific event, something as small as a pattern on a butterflies wings in one of those many dimensions will hold it together for as long as the universe deems it and then it’ll pass that responsibly onto something else.”

Donghyuck swallows, shaking his head and peers over Yukhei who, quite frankly, isn’t doing so hot either. “So are you like saying we’re responsible for the universe being in check?” Yukhei squeaks, running his hands down his cheeks and he gestures oddly. Taeil perks up, “Yes. Very much so.”

Donghyuck thinks about earlier, minutes maybe hours before, him and Yukhei driving down the main road and stopping just off the road, the beach in front of them and they just sit in the truck. The shade of a tree keeping them from burning and then Donghyuck thinks about how now, everything is tilted and only tilting further and further until it’s no longer what it once was. How did something like this even happen?

Donghyuck can vividly hear Jaemin asking him about Yukhei yesterday in the kitchen of his mom’s restaurant and now Yukhei passes out, dropping with a resounding thud on the cool glass floor. Donghyuck’s chest rises fast and short and none of them move to tend to Yukhei. Donghyuck whimpers in the back of his throat, “So if we’re here that means something’s gotta give? What happened?”

Dongyoung walks over to Yukhei then, palm over his eyes as he whispers something and Yukhei stirs. “Something’s gone wrong.” Dongyoung whispers, eyes still on Yukhei as he brushes his hair out of his eyes. Taeil’s face has gone cold, none of that childlike wonder on his features but something even more serious. That’s unsettling. Dongyoung’s eyes meet Donghyuck’s and he sees how tired the other is. “One of the dimensions, Someone’s gotten too powerful. One of my many faces, they’ve found a weakness in that dimension and because of that, the other dimensions get weaker.”

Donghyuck thinks he can puzzle together what he’ll say next. He already feels that responsibility weight down on his chest before Dongyoung says it. “Taeil and I have managed to maintain it and we’ve gotten help from that dimension but there’s only so much we can do. We had to do something. So it started with the dreams.”

Donghyuck clenches his jaw, “I spent months in constant pain because of those fucking dreams.” He steps forward as Taeil frowns at him, knuckles turning white from how hard he’s holding the staff. “It wasn’t _just_ you. We sent out that dream to _every single_ _one_ of your faces. None of them stuck, not for as long as it did for both of you. It brought you together, that’s what matters.” Taeil hisses, his irises turning black, tips of his ear bursting into flames and Dongyoung grabs his ankle from where he’s crouched next to Yukhei. Taeil calms, staff dissipating and he sighs.

“Listen, We didn’t mean for it to be too bad but as they got stronger, the dreams got more urgent. They did get more urgent, didn’t they? When you cried in that Kmart parking lot with Yukhei?” Dongyoung asks and Donghyuck huffs. He rubs the heels of his palms into his eyes again, frustration welling up in his chest.. He looks at Yukhei, head in Dongyoung’s lap as he breathes slowly and evenly. He blinks slowly and something stirs in Donghyuck, he crosses his arms, “Yes.” He says, hands moving to grip his upper arm and his shoulders slumping forward. He hear familiar rushing water in his ears and he closes his eyes tight.

“But what about back home?” says Donghyuck. Yukhei hums weakly, “Donghyuck’s mom is gonna kill me if I bring him back home late.” Donghyuck squints, kicking Yukhei with the heel of his toe and Yukhei presses his lips tight.

Dongyoung licks his lips quick. “Taeil and I maintain balance in between dimensions and between you two.” His fingers delicately touch Yukhei’s cheekbones, “Just like how the universe shifts it’s responsibility on the unity, it also chooses who makes sure things go the way they’re suppose to. We wouldn’t have gotten so involved in your lives if things didn’t go astray. Trust me as much stress as you’re feeling now, it’s tripled for us.”

Donghyuck chews the inside his cheek, “Can I get a moment alone with Yukhei?”

Dongyoung nods, gently letting Yukhei’s head rest against the floor again and he grabs Taeil’s hand. “Just call us back when you’re ready. You don’t have to help if you don’t want to. That’s always an option.” Dongyoung states before him and Taeil seemingly vansition into thin air. Donghyuck drops to his knees hard, sliding up to hold Yukhei’s cheeks and he sees the dopey smile on the latter’s face. “God, you’re so checked out.” Donghyuck whispers and Yukhei smacks his lips together again, the way he does when he’s tired or sleepy.

Yukhei smiles bigger and Donghyuck chuckles. “Did you hear the conversation or were you half asleep the whole time?” Donghyuck questions and Yukhei shrugs back. “I dunno. Something about saving the universe because the universe says so. Sounds like bullshit to meeeeee.”

Donghyuck sighs, pushing Yukhei’s arm up and he lays down slowly. He feels emotionally drained, like maybe he should mentally check out for the day. He’s just graduated high school two months ago, worried about his friend group being separated at the end of summer and him not knowing what to do and also dealing with what he can only describe is a elementary school miniscule crush on Yukhei. Yukhei looks at him, “What are we going to do?” His voice gentle and Donghyuck tilts his head further right till their noses bump.

“I feel like we can’t walk away.” Donghyuck starts, “like if we walk away, we’ll be the assholes who _didn’t_ save the universe.” Yukhei nods, “I get that but you heard what Dongyoung said, We don’t have to help if we don’t want to.”

Donghyuck shrugs, “But if we walk away, won’t it still affect us?” Yukhei turns his head back towards the ceiling, his hand coming to rub Donghyuck’s shoulder and Donghyuck moves to fit into Yukhei’s side. The smell of wild honeysuckle is homey to him, he can feel his heart rate slowing just because of it. Two months, Donghyuck has only known Yukhei for two months and he’s already at a level of comfort that so jarring. Yukhei turns his head again, their eyes meeting, noses bumping and Donghyuck sighs. “I guess we could save the universe just this once.”

Yukhei laughs, “Like we’ll ever have another opportunity to save the universe again after this.” Donghyuck snickers, slapping Yukhei’s chest and Yukhei laughs harder. Donghyuck wants to kiss him, _god_ , Donghyuck wants to kiss him but maybe not when they’ve got a whole universe to save. “Let’s go save the universe.” Donghyuck whispers.

Yukhei sighs, arm under Donghyuck coming up to squeeze him closer. “I guess.” Donghyuck adds.

 

-

 

Taeil pushes the ear piece into Donghyuck’s ear roughly. “ _Ouch_.” Donghyuck grumbles while rubbing the sore spot and Taeil smiles teasingly. “Okay, you remember what I said right?” Taeil asks.

Taeil taps the tip of his staff to the wall, vibrations and rumbling stirs and then it opens. It’s a swirls of color and space and Donghyuck can feel the slight breeze against his arm. Yukhei isn’t here with them but with Dongyoung instead, probably getting the _proper_ talk end about it all, all the logistics while Taeil rambles and footnotes it “for convenience sake”.

Donghyuck’s ear tingle, “Remember, you’ll be in the same dimension for some time. We don’t know where exactly you’ll land but there’s flaws across several of the dimensions so time will skip around to pivotal moments in _that_ dimension. If we don’t find anything astray, we’ll let you know that we’re skipping to another dimension, okay?”

Donghyuck hums, “How long with this all take? In _my_ ‘ _dimension_ ’?”

Taeil shrugs, “Could vary from a minute to a couple seconds but, it’ll feel like more time to both of you. Time from other dimensions and here in between dimensions doesn’t apply to yours. Anything goes with time and relatively and space I guess.” That’s not comforting at all but Donghyuck nods anyways.

“Yukhei, he…”

“You’ll see him, talk to him and all that but your iteration won’t be able to see you. You can influence their emotions too. Just kinda, touch them, and you can persuade them into feeling something you want them to. I wouldn’t use it much though. Remember, the universe kinda depends on both of you ending up together.” _Geez_. Taeil stands up straight then, knocking his staff thrice on Donghyuck’s calf softly, “For good luck! Try not to pass out!” And he pushes Donghyuck into the portal.

He hears rain when the wind stops whooshing in his ears, hearing muffled shouting and splashing puddles. He scrambles to stand up, his clothes bone dry but it’s pouring out. He seeing himself then, older looking and visibly upset with eyes rimmed red. He looks that way when he’s been crying, when he’s frustrated and then he hears Yukhei before seeing him. He’s rushing forward, hands out and Donghyuck steps back from him. “I’m not mad.” Donghyuck huffs at Yukhei and Donghyuck moves closer, fingers touching his own shoulder. His mind fills with images, his heart aching along with this dimension’s Donghyuck.

He can feel nothing but self conflict within this Donghyuck. There’s not a single ounce of hatred for Yukhei. This Yukhei was never his, might not ever be his from the fear Donghyuck has. Yukhei rushes forward too quick and now Donghyuck can see _his_ Yukhei walk forward too. His hand out on his own shoulder and Donghyuck frowns along with himself. Yukhei comes to hold his cheeks, “Renjun was just there for fun. I don’t want to mess this up, I don’t know what to tell you to make you believe that I’m in love with you.”

Donghyuck feels the way his own heartbeat picks up, his heart soaring but then it’s bittersweet. Donghyuck, _here_ , feels like he has no other option to push Yukhei away before it's ever more than it needs to be. Donghyuck grabs Yukhei’s wrist, smiling tight-lipped before pushing his hand away. He blinks away the rain droplets from his lashes, hauntingly beautiful. “You and Renjun look good together. He looks good in your shirt.”

Thunder booms, two hearts break and Yukhei drops his hands to his side like dead weight, not moving to touch Donghyuck again like he’s gotten the plague. “I’ll see you around.” Donghyuck chokes out , turning away and sprinting away from Yukhei.

Donghyuck’s ears pop and then the world swirls around him again. He’s in a kitchen now, dim lighting and he can see himself. This must be the same dimension because Donghyuck still looks older. Yukhei stands before him, almost trapping him against the counter. His fingers skid around Donghyuck’s cheek and Donghyuck huffs. It happens fast, Yukhei hauling Donghyuck up on the counter and then kissing him. Donghyuck reaches out to touch his own wrist and he knows then, it’s their first kiss. Yukhei kisses him fast, almost like he’s trying to make up for lost time and Donghyuck’s head hits the cupboard softly. “Sorry!” Yukhei says, pulling away to rub Donghyuck’s head and Donghyuck laughs.

“That’s so embarrassing.” Yukhei states, cheeks turning pink and Donghyuck rubs his shoulders. He shakes his head, “When I was 9, I genuinely tired to learn simlish.” Yukhei quirks his eyebrow at that, “What?”

Donghyuck smiles, moving to kissing Yukhei slower. “Once I asked my mom how to spell UPS.” Then Yukhei gets it, “Are you saying embarrassing things to make me feel better?”

Donghyuck kisses him again, for longer before he answers. “Yes.” Yukhei smiles at that, “God, I’m so in love with you!” Donghyuck laughs when Yukhei rushes to kiss him again, Yukhei body enveloping his own and he moans softly into Yukhei’s mouth when Yukhei squeezes his waist. Donghyuck finally lets go of this dimension Donghyuck’s wrist, He see his Yukhei pull back too, give him a look and then Taeil talks into the ear piece, “This dimension is secure.”

Donghyuck walks out the kitchen, something weird about seeing him and Yukhei kiss. It’s too much for him this early on. Donghyuck hears himself giggle, “I really like when you touch me. Like your hands on my waist. When you kiss me it feels like I’m in the clouds but you’re touches keeps me grounded.”

His earpiece buzzes, “Dongyoung has managed to secure a good handful of dimensions. We have 3 more dimensions to secure.” Donghyuck hums, “Can I ask for a favor?”

 

_“Can I ask for a favor?”_

 

_“Depends on what it is?”_

 

_“I want to see a secured dimension.”_

 

-

 

Donghyuck feels his stomach drop as the leather seat squeak underneath him and when he opens his eyes, he sees rows of booths in front of him. There’s a jukebox sat next to his booth playing a song that sound similar to that of a Stevie Nicks song and the smell of pasta sauce wafting in the air around them. It makes his chest feel full, cozy and his muscles automatically relax. Like he’s coming home to his mother cooking spaghetti and meatballs.

His eyes land on Yukhei, several booths in front of him although he’s covered partially, all frazzled by their abrupt landing and his eyes are just as shaky as Donghyuck feels. But Yukhei doesn’t look for him like Donghyuck had, his eyes focused on the pairing in the booth between them and that’s when Donghyuck scrambles out of his seat to see.

He see himself come into view engulfed in a too many sizes too big hoodie and he talks to Yukhei enthusiastically, leaning back on the wall. They’ve got books laid out on the table and half eaten subs that’s all forgotten in favor of their attention on each other. This dimension’s Yukhei has got a soft smile on his face as he watches Donghyuck talk. Nothing but adoration and love spilling out and Donghyuck can feel it from here. Donghyuck leans further into against the wall and Yukhei leans forward. Donghyuck moves to touch his own shoulder and he feels how nervous this dimensions’ hyuck is nervous.

“What?” Donghyuck says, hands coming up to rest on Yukhei’s chest. His fingers fidget with the drawstrings of the hoodie and Yukhei moves to hold his hands still. Donghyuck moves around the booth to get a better look, sliding into the booth where Yukhei has yet to move from. The glance at each other quickly before looking back at the couple. “Nothing.” This Yukhei whispers, leaning in and kissing Donghyuck so tenderly he pressed him further up the wall. “I just can’t believe you’re mine.” He says lowly and Donghyuck pulls him back in by his shirt, kissing him enthusiastically and passionately. There’s a longing blossoming in Donghyuck’s chest as he sees them. Like he’s missing out on something.

Donghyuck’s fingers twitch as the setting changes again. His legs almost giving out before he pushes up against the wall behind hims. This time they’re in the middle of a dim stairwell looking onto a dark lobby. He hears his own laugh growing in volume and he can hear Yukhei’s giggle accompanying it before they come into view. Both of them adorned in tuxes, Donghyuck giggling as Yukhei obviously struggles to hold him up and kept up with the kisses Donghyuck is eager to give him as the slowly make their way up the stairs. Donghyuck catches the glint of a gold band on his finger, wedding ring. They’re married. Yukhei watches him look after them and moves so Donghyuck can follow them up the last flight into presumably their home before he catches Donghyuck’s wrist. “What?” Donghyuck whispers, forgetting entirely that he doesn’t need to. They can’t hear him.

Yukhei’s bottom lip kinda juts out as he thinks. “I don’t think we should intrude on them.” Yukhei moves up a couple steps to meet Donghyuck’s line of sight, too close for comfort and it might be the atmosphere or it might be other influences but Yukhei looks like home here. Donghyuck wants to lean over the tiny space between them and plant one on him. “I don’t think you’d wanna see that.”

“I knew what I was getting myself into when I asked Taeil to see a stable dimension.” Donghyuck assures him, wiggling his wrist out of Yukhei’s grip gently and pushing the door to the apartment open. The lights are off throughout the whole place allowing the windows to let the moonlight flutter through the sheer curtains and illuminate parts of a living room that looks lived in. He can see the wall filled with little knick-knacks from different states and hung up photos. The table by the loveseat has the twilight saga stacked up and a picture of Yukhei and Donghyuck sitting on a dock, arms around each other as Yukhei smiles so big his eyes crinkle at the corners and Donghyuck is smiling up at Yukhei with what can only be described as pure adoration.

Donghyuck picks it up to see it up close like he’s not able to look away from it until he hears his own laugh ring through the apartment again followed by a thump and Yukhei yelping inhumanly loud that it causes Donghyuck to laugh harder. Donghyuck sets the picture back down as he turns to see his Yukhei leaning against the door frame, mouth quirked down but it’s not a frown. “I’ll stay here.” He says when their eyes meet and Donghyuck nods, walking down the hall to the bedroom.

They always say newlyweds are insurable and insatiable and looking upon a pair of newlyweds now, Donghyuck can see why that’s said. There’s something annoying about the enthusiasm they kiss with, Donghyuck’s hands visibly shaking with excitement as he smooths his hand over Yukhei’s bare shoulders. He leans up as Yukhei sits up so they take his shirt off only for both of them to laugh loudly at one of the buttons popping off and hitting Yukhei’s chin. Donghyuck shakes his head, “I love you, Wong Yukhei.” Donghyuck’s chest tightens hearing himself say it out loud.

Yukhei stops moving his hands, the same big smile from the picture now spread across his face as he pushes Donghyuck down against the pillows fast. Donghyuck can’t stop giggling as Yukhei kisses him with so much precision and gentleness. He thuds he forehead against Donghyuck’s when they pull apart, laughter shared between them softly as Yukhei drops his weight on top of him. “I love you, Wong Donghyuck.”

Donghyuck’s throat seizes up as he turns away only to hear his own whimper ringing through the room clear as day and his earpiece buzzes then. “Are you done with this dimension?” Taeil voice feels like a breath of fresh air as Donghyuck moves to walk out of the room, eyes catching sight of another photo— this time Donghyuck is standing in front of Yukhei, adorning a letterman jacket as Yukhei rests his cheek on the crown of his head. _Love_ , all Donghyuck feels and sees in this dimension is love and his heart seems to ache bittersweetly even though he knows his own Yukhei is here with him too. It definitely feels like he’s missing out on something grand like this. A slow love like this.

“I’m done.” He answers.

“There’s a secured dimension you need to go to before returning.” Dongyoung adds in, “This dimension is reliant on you appearing for a while so it stabilizes.” He explains. Donghyuck can hear the clicking of the control panel on Dongyoung’s end and he closes his eyes to focus on it as he sinks into the couch next to Yukhei.

“What do we have to do?” Yukhei asks, his voice resounding within Donghyuck’s chest and he can’t help but lean into his side. A magnetic tug drawing him into Yukhei. It’s simple and Yukhei looks at him with no judgement in his eyes as he moves to accommodate Donghyuck. The familiar warmth on being snug against Yukhei’s side reminds him of how fast everything’s gone. Just a couple days ago he had fallen asleep, head tucked under Yukhei’s chin and his ear on his chest listening to his steady heartbeat and his breath evened out. The sound of the waves crash on the cliff nearby loud and lulling Donghyuck to sleep as his senses fill with Yukhei. He feels bad now for lying to Jaemin when he had asked if there was more between Yukhei and himself.

He knew— he’s known that he’s had a obvious crush on Yukhei since that moment in Yukhei’s truck after the ‘ _Welcome to Summer_ ’ festival. Yukhei’s hand on his had sent his heat racing and it hasn’t slowed since. Feeling like it’s constantly racing and no end in sight. It feels like a distant memory then but Yukhei is still Yukhei and he’s still Donghyuck regardless of where they are in the universe.

“Just let Donghyuck see you.”

 

-

 

Donghyuck loses his footing when they skip to the next dimension. His shoulder hits right into the trunk of a pine tree next to him and he huffs. It’s already colder here, crisp as the leaves are starting to fall. “Yukhei?!” He calls, massaging his now throbbing shoulder. Donghyuck can feel himself getting annoyed with the situation as a whole. In any other situation Donghyuck would’ve been able to bike down to the intel, watching the waves till his mind his numb and he’s completely fizzed out the anger or whatever’s bugging him. He knows he can’t do that now and it’s making him even more irritated. “Yukhei!” He calls before he trips on a vine, winded beyond belief as he lands on top Yukhei.

“Donghyuck!” Yukhei screeches.

Dongyoung’s voice rings in their ears. “Stop yelling! He can’t see you yet!” They can hear Taeil whispering before Dongyoung talks again. “Try not to get hurt please. All you need to do is walk to the edge of the clearing and Donghyuck will see you before we bring you back.”

Donghyuck’s so close to saying screw it and just not let things happen the way they need to. That would show them. But then Yukhei moves to pick a leaf out his hair, smoothing down Donghyuck hair and his breath swallows— his heart stops. Something about the way the sunlight streams in between the canopy and onto them gives Yukhei an unearthly glow, something so radiant about him and Donghyuck thinks all this ‘ _saving the universe_ ’ mumbo jumbo has gotten him all sentimental. Yukhei gives him a questioning look and Donghyuck shakes his head as he walks towards the clearing.

Yukhei’s runs to catch up, “Are you,” he sighs, “okay?”

“What do you want to hear?” Donghyuck quips, snappy and snarky. ( _maybe a little harshly_.) Donghyuck shrugs, “Do you want me to say I’m having a blast? Do you want me to say that I love saving the universe despite the fact that I feel like there’s an enormous weight on my shoulders now?”

Yukhei tugs on Donghyuck wrist right as the trees clear and he can see themselves standing there— Funnily enough, this universe’s versions of them are arguing too. If you can call this arguing. Donghyuck refuses to look Yukhei in the eye, weakly pushing at his chest so he can let him go but he doesn’t. Yukhei pulls him close enough to envelope him and it feels like they’re back home at the intel; Donghyuck can practically hear the waves crashing and taste the sea salt on his tongue. “You know we can call it quits whenever you’re ready?” Yukhei reminds him.

Donghyuck hums, Yukhei’s warmth and voice roll off him and seep deep into him. Yukhei pulls away just enough to hold Donghyuck’s face between his hands and that’s when Donghyuck finally looks at him. He finally gets a good look at him for the first time this close since they were in the truck, that stupid fucking honey-like glow in his eyes there— a glow just emanating off him and Donghyuck can’t help but lean into him.

Completely enthralled and enraptured.

Yukhei’s breath catches when Donghyuck presses close and Yukhei rubs his thumbs over the apples of Donghyuck’s cheeks, inviting him, beckoning him to do it— kiss him. Donghyuck wants to say it, wants to whisper it like in that other dimension. He wants to be loved and he knows they’re going to be in love, Dongyoung and Taeil wouldn’t have picked them if they weren’t from a stable dimension. Yukhei leans down far enough so their noses bump into each other so comfortably and cute, Donghyuck can feel Yukhei exhale on his upper lip. He’s so close, a kiss _so_ close and Donghyuck’s eyes flutter shut as a shiver runs through him. Fisting at the front of Yukhei’s shirt to pull him down and Yukhei’s lips meet his just ever so briefly before Renjun’s voice rings through the air. “Lee Donghyuck!”

Donghyuck jumps back, frowning as he catches Renjun punching Donghyuck in nose so hard he topples down onto the grass and Yukhei picks him up. “Fuck.” This Donghyuck whines. Donghyuck can see how tense Renjun is from here, shoulders back and he looks like he’s going to land another punch at any given time. “You kissed Mark,” Renjun growls as Donghyuck sinks back into Yukhei, seemingly to hide.

 _Don’t say something stupid_ , Donghyuck thinks. “Technically, he kissed me.” Donghyuck clears and Donghyuck shakes his head, groaning because _God, I’m stupid in every dimension_ . Renjun body jerks forward with a fist raised again and Donghyuck thinks he’s deserved that punch. “Renjun, come on we’re ‘ _bros’_ , right?”

Renjun lands the punch on his shoulder this time and Yukhei finally decides to step in, “Maybe we should all calm down before someone seriously gets hurt?” Renjun frowns but pulls away and Donghyuck stands up straight, flinching when Renjun jerks his way again as a warning.

“You knew how I felt about Mark and you let him kiss you.” Renjun huffs, “If that’s even what happened. I don’t know with you Donghyuck, hon--.” Yukhei nudges Donghyuck, drawing his attention away from the clearing.

Dongyoung’s voice rings in their ears, “It’s time. He has to see you before you come back here.”

Yukhei jumps, grabbing a branch from one of the fuller trees above them, pushing Donghyuck a little further out onto the edge of the clearing and he lets the branch snap back into place before he ducks down. The sound is like a regular ruffle of a branch but there’s no wind blowing so it’d be odd for there to be movement within the trees. Donghyuck can see himself flinch at the sound turning away from where Yukhei is trying to calm Renjun down and looking right at him. He shakes his head in complete disbelief, his eyebrows furrowing; Donghyuck holds his gaze until he sees him shutting his eyes from longer than a couple seconds and Yukhei tugs him back, both of them toppling down on the foliage but they can still see Donghyuck open his eyes again, searching for Donghyuck and then everything’s gone.

Yukhei groans when they’re back on cool illuminated floor of interdimensional hub. Donghyuck pushes Yukhei’s knee away from it digging further into his side when he turns to see Jaemin. _Well,_ someone who looks like Jaemin staring back at him. “Dongyoung, they’re back!” He yells and Donghyuck scowls as Jaemin holds his hand out to help him up, reluctant to take his stupidly gloved hand but does so anyways.

The Jaemin standing here in front of him look like his Jaemin back home. His hair is long enough to tie up, adorning all black and there’s a scar just atop the apple of his cheek that leads down towards his nose. It’s still pink, recently healed and he moves to push his hair out of his eyes, his gloved hand drawing Donghyuck’s attention and he can see scars peeking out around his wrists from underneath the glove. Dongyoung comes bounding in with someone else. “Sorry that was a little bumpy coming back.”

Donghyuck huffs. “Where’s Taeil’s?”

“That dimension you came from. He also has a hand in it being stable.” answers Dongyoung and the doors to the panel room open again, leading them all in and Donghyuck finally see the other person is Jungwoo. Kim Jungwoo from Jeno’s father’s vineyard. He remembers back when Jungwoo’s family had moved into town. A couple years older than them when they were in 3rd grade and so interesting to them to see someone new, Donghyuck can say with absolute certainty that Kim Jungwoo was his first boy crush. He thinks everyone in their inner circle back home has had a crush on Jungwoo at one point or another— maybe the whole town, he’s their golden boy.

Yukhei moves right behind Donghyuck without touch him but his presence known just by the heat of his body. Donghyuck doesn’t even realize how tense he is until he’s relaxing and knocking into Yukhei’s chest. “Who are they?” Yukhei asks. “They look like people from our dimension but I know they’re not.”

Jungwoo presses his lips thin. “Very observant of you.”

Donghyuck doesn’t like the tone in Jungwoo’s voice, kind of condescending and snappy. Dongyoung must’ve sensed it too because he nudges him. “They’re from the dimension the threat is in. They’re from a coven and they’re here so I can find the threat and send them there.”

“You never really explained how powerful the threat is.” Donghyuck interjects. He feels small around Dongyoung, he feels small in the grand scheme of things. Dongyoung sighs, popping the button that holds his cape over his shoulders and it lands on the chair in front of the control panel. It’s then that Donghyuck can see the bags under Dongyoung’s eyes and the stress on his face. Jungwoo moves to his side to console him and Jaemin watches silently. Donghyuck’s very afraid of Dongyoung has to say. It really feels like maybe they’re insignificant to the universe, securing dimensions just being a tiny pebble among other looming boulders.

“I told you one of my many faces has found a weakness in a dimension,” Dongyoung points to both Jaemin and Jungwoo, “their dimension, where magic and witches are possible and it’s never been an issue. The universe always keeps itself in balance by never granting anything too much power in its many dimensions but I cannot, for the life of me, figure out what went wrong.”

There’s a suffocating silence over them all. Dongyoung sits in the chair, “I've lived for centuries, I’ve seen empires rise and fall, gods come into their own and then die but I’ve never seen a regular person within a dimension gain the amount of power this Dongyoung has. I’ve followed to tales of druids and it’s always fascinated me that a certain group within a realm magic and unlimited wonder would use it to gain more power. It’s selfish. I saw them going to different covens, taking the most promising and leaving their covens in ruins if they agreed to leave but being merciless when they got rejected.”

Jungwoo speaks up, “I knew Dongyoung before the druids got to him. He was loving and beautiful, he was set to the coven’s new leader. He was just like any of us witches in the coven learning how to control our magic and use it for good. He was our most promising witch and I think the only reason the druids didn’t destroy our entire coven was because they knew that in the future, with enough training, Dongyoung was going to be able to break into a different type of power and wreak havoc within the universe. They’re ruthless and selfish. They destroy anything and everything to get what they want and they aren’t witches, they’re shells of them. They completely consumed by darkness and I’ve heard once you get a taste of dark magic, it’s addictive.” Jaemin mumbles under his breath and a tissue appears in his hand. He kicks off the panel he’s sitting on so he can move to comfort Jungwoo. Donghyuck can see the chemistry there, recent love blossomed and he becomes aware of Yukhei’s hand on his hip then.

“I’ve been training Jaemin since then. I’ve moved covens when I got word that Jaemin was the next promising witch. His power is beyond my own comprehension and I believe he’ll be the one to end Dongyoung, maybe all the druids.” Jaemin shrugs, waving his hand bashfully and it’s so starkly different from the current somber tone.

“I mean I’m made out of pure magic. I thought it wasn’t anything but apparently, I’ve got to step up to the plate.” Jaemin hums. He traces the scar on his face. “Dongyoung’s already tried to scare me but I think he’s just lit a fire under my ass. Jungwoo, your ex is kinda an asshole.”

Donghyuck turns to Dongyoung. The question he’s been wanting to ask in the forefront of his mind. “Does this mean us securing other dimensions is very small compared to what they have to do? Not to sound… selfish.”

Dongyoung jumps up, “Absolutely not. Without the both of you, we wouldn’t have been able to corner Dongyoung into a certain quadrant of the universe. His power is unlimited in theory but I’m also a god, I have been granted control of the universe by the universe itself. I know how to stop him even though there are a lot of steps I have to take prior. But each step counts, Donghyuck. You’ve saved the universe.”

Jaemin raises his hand, “Not to interject but technically, Dongyoung is still on the loose. We haven’t saved the world _yet_.”

“Universe.” Yukhei corrects and Jaemin squints at him. “ _Universe_.” parrots Jaemin sarcastically.

Dongyoung shakes his head and Jungwoo moves to keep Jaemin in check. Donghyuck watches him, “Are we secure in his dimension?”

Dongyoung shakes his head, all of them jumping when Taeil phases back into the room. Taeil looks at everyone before catching Dongyoung’s tired gaze. Donghyuck can see the way they click easily, no doubt from centuries of practice. Taeil slides right next to Dongyoung with ease, their hands finding each other fast. “You know how we’ve told you you’re meant to be together in some dimensions? In other dimensions, you aren’t.”

Jaemin smiles, “You’re dating Jeno Lee where I’m from. It’s kinda a new development.”

Donghyuck gags, “Jeno Lee? You’ve got to be kidding me. He’s dating Renjun in my world. Or wants to date him. It’s sad.” Donghyuck can’t even begin to imagine a world where he’s dating Jeno Lee. He’s see Jeno pick his nose and eat his own boogers, you don’t come back from that. Jaemin perks up at that, “Mmm, never really thought of them like that but that would be interesting. I’ll keep Jeno in my prayers.” (“ _We’re witches! We don’t pray, Jaemin!_ ”)

“Aren’t you going to stop me from telling him anymore?” Jaemin questions as Dongyoung walks over to the panel. Dongyoung shakes his head, “Once they’re back in their world, they’ll forget about you.”

Donghyuck’s breath stills. If they forget about Jaemin, then they’ll forget about everything else. He’ll forget about the different Yukhei’s he’s seen, similar but different. He doesn’t want to forget, not when he’s got a lifetime of memories he’s seen in a beautiful universe that’s theirs. Taeil must sense his fear, “You have to make both of you forget about each other for the balance of the universe but you’re universe is stable because you’re here. Those memories can’t erased.”

That still doesn’t feel reassuring. He knows he’s feeling burdened under the pressure but he has to see it through. He has to know that there’s a definite end to Dongyoung. Donghyuck wants, like everyone else, to have a sense of security and wants to be able to go home and say, _yes the universe is safe_. The universe is safe because they helped, the universe is safe because he loves Yukhei and that’s what matters. He knows the moment Dongyoung says they have to go back, that’s that on that. He’s going back to his seaside town and his mundane life with Yukhei.

How can he go back to _that_ when he’s seen things like the interdimensional hub with two _gods_ in control.

He knows how the universe works now, who’s keeping the universe in check and why the universe is at peace. Not that his friends aren’t great or his town his dull. Being here with everyone has gotten him missing his home, the smell of the sea wafting in the window where he’s bed is pushed against the wall. It’s the fear he’s had since he graduated highschool; The idea that his life is seemingly unimportant in the grand scheme of his friends lives, in his town, in the universe. Everything feels like it’s been placed in his own hands the moment the storm arrived in his dreams, in the town to take him to Dongyoung and Taeil. He just doesn’t know what to do with the ball in his court, he doesn’t know what to make of all _this_.

Taeil knock his staff against the floor thrice before letting it illuminate the room, a projection of Dongyoung come into view. Eyes worn out, pitch black and the darkest veins visible around his jaw the most but all over. Donghyuck is mesmerized, he looks like the god in front of him but as if he’s hollow within, no subsistence or moral compass in him. Jungwoo looks the most conflicted as if he wants to hide away from it. “This is the threat to the universe. His power has been growing over the years and the other gods and I have talked about how he could’ve been one of us. He had such beautiful light magic within him and we don’t know why or how he turned so fast.”

Jaemin frowns, “Maybe he’s always been so easily persuaded. I know you think it’s because of you, “ Jaemin addresses Jungwoo, his hand landing on Jungwoo’s forearm before sliding down to hold his hand. Taeil moves to the panel with Dongyoung then, leaving the projection up as reminder. It’s enormous and hovers over them, unsettling Donghyuck. “But you’re good, you’re everything good and I don’t see why anyone would even _think_ that the way to save you would be to turn dark. Didn’t you say you asked him to kill you?”

Jungwoo hums, “He said either I go with him and the druids or they’d have to kill us all. I told him to kill me and he got upset.” Jungwoo waves his hands, “But this isn’t about my sob story anymore. I’m here as Jaemin’s mentor.”

“Try babysitter.” Jaemin cuts in and Jungwoo pinches his side. “We’re only here because Dongyong needs to show us exactly where _‘Dongyoung_ ’ is.”

“Aren’t you scared he’ll kill you?” Yukhei asks. Jaemin shrugs, “I've told the coven and Jungwoo that that’s a risk I’m willing to take. If that’s my fate and the exchange I need to make in order for everyone else's lives to thrive then by all means, I die.” And, god Donghyuck really cannot imagine coming to terms with the fact that you’re going to die or that there’s a chance of you dying. Coming to terms with that seems so far fetched.

“I found Dongyoung. I’ll send you there shortly.” Taeil chimes in as he’s turning to Donghyuck and Yukhei. “I’m going to have to send you back home.”

“What happens when we get home?” Yukhei and Donghyuck ask at the same time, startling themselves. Donghyuck moves to hold Yukhei’s wrist, “What happens when we get back?” Donghyuck asks again.

Taeil holds Donghyuck’s gaze, eyes soft. “You go back to your lives. I can come and reassure you the threat is over but for now, just live out your summer like normal.” Taeil moves to pat Donghyuck’s shoulder as rub Yukhei’s forearm. It feels like when a parent tries to awkwardly comfort a hurt child. He shakes his head as he chuckles, “Thank you for helping us. You’ve made it easier to stop him, I hope you know that.”

Donghyuck can see Yukhei nod out the side of his eye and he swallows hard. “I don’t know if i’m allowed to say you’re welcome.”

“You can.”

Donghyuck feels his eyes get misty. “You’re welcome.”

Dongyoung hums, “I liked you both. I’ll miss you a ton.” Donghyuck hums, grunting as his back collides with Yukhei’s firm chest. “We’ll send you off now. Try not to throw up.” Taeil jokes and Donghyuck lets out a soft chuckle. It’s a bittersweet goodbye, Donghyuck thinks. He’ll have to face the fact that after this, his life won’t be as meaningful as it is in this moment, in the interdimensional hub with Dongyoung and Taeil.

 

-

 

Donghyuck’s head throbs the moment he lands back in Bessy. It’s pouring hard outside and Yukhei is still in the driver’s seat, unconscious but there. Donghyuck touches his own chest, his face and he sighs, he’s back in one piece. His hand automatically pats down around the seat for his phone, pulling it up to see only 30 minutes have past. The rhythm of the rain on the exterior of the truck is calming and grounding for his heart-- his mind. He pulls open the door, dropping his phone on the dashboard before he jumps down onto the payment. The rain not taking long to soak him and it feels so good, it’s so comforting to smell the mix of rain and sea salt. The waves are crashing hard on the cliff in front of them as ships dock in to avoid the storm.

Donghyuck smiles. Turning up to the sky and soaking the rain as the truck creaks and he turns to see Yukhei coming to. His heart skips a beat. Maybe it the fact that they’ve just come back from saving the universe, that high feel within them but Donghyuck wants nothing more but to be in Yukhei’s arms and kiss him like he’s wanted to for a while. He opens the door, huffing over the loud creak and Yukhei watches him as he climbs in. The air is still between them like if either of them move something bad is going to happen. “Are you feeling better?” Yukhei asks as he reaches to wipe Donghyuck’s cheek with the end of his flannel.

“Yes.” Donghyuck assures him, move to hold Yukhei’s hand there and leaving a small peck on his palm. _I feel better because you’re here_. Yukhei caresses his cheek tenderly, “Do you want to go home?” He asks and the idea of being back in bed with Yukhei shoulds inviting, promising. He nods and Yukhei smiles, moving to start the truck up and Donghyuck slides over the middle seat to cozy up to him. Yukhei accommodates him, his hand resting on Donghyuck’s thigh and Donghyuck’s cheek squished on his shoulder like usual. He feels content this way. Maybe wanting something bigger than life isn’t what he needed.

He feels good when they make their way up the steps to Donghyuck’s room, his mom greeting them from her office just at the top of the landing. Donghyuck rushes to hug her close as she grumbles about him wetting her clothes. “What’s gotten into you?” She says, kissing his temple anyways and he laughs. “Nothing. Just wanted to get your clothes wet.”

She snickers, hitting the side of his thigh as he runs away and Yukhei laughs. Donghyuck feels warm and tired all over, changing into his pjs despite Yukhei telling him to shower so he doesn’t catch a cool. He sticks his tongue out at him before hobbling over and climb in next to Yukhei. The rain is pouring down hard enough that they can see the tree outside Donghyuck’s window, it’s just a blur of color and Donghyuck relaxes the moment Yukhei holds him close. “I love you.” Yukhei whispers into his hair, finger slowly gliding along his back as he succumbs to sleep.

Donghyuck sits up enough to see Yukhei’s face. “And I love you.” Yukhei smiles so wide it's blinding and Donghyuck leans down to kiss him. He’s been waiting for so long and Yukhei is a dream; His lips are plush and warm, and Yukhei _knows_ how to kiss. Goosebumps raising on Donghyuck’s skin as Yukhei’s hand slides firmly over his lower back and Donghyuck rolls closer to Yukhei, legs over his thigh. Yukhei loves him, Yukhei _loves_ him and they saved the universe because of that. Donghyuck pulls away to catch his breath before chasing Yukhei’s lips again— laughing when their noses knock together hard.

Donghyuck doesn’t even remember falling asleep but he wakes up when thunder booms loudly, the rain not having let up and he turns to see it’s past midnight. Yukhei’s breath is fanning over his cheek and he smiles to himself. He moves to get comfortable again, a glint catching his eye on the nightstand and he sees the note with a chain attached.

   _Dongyoung has been defeated._

_The universe is saved._

_-Taeil_

  
Donghyuck picks up the chain— a locket and when he opens it, it’s empty. He frowns up at it, closing and turning it over in his hands before he sees, ‘ _WYK LDH’_ engraved on the back. Donghyuck doesn’t know what Taeil intends for them to use it for but Donghyuck’s got an idea. But first, he sets it down, turning over to face Yukhei. “I love you.” He says knowing Yukhei won’t respond this time. Adjusting himself to fit right under Yukhei’s jaw, so tight and close. “I love you loads, Yukhei.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks for sticking around and im sorry for this. i know people wanted yukhei's pov but i really don't think it kind of matters because this is kinda of a study of donghyuck and his fear of insignificance, etc or whatever.


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